Helen McNicoll (1879-1915) Impressionist painter

Helen Galloway McNicoll was a Canadian🎨 impressionist painter. She was one of the most notable female artists in Canada in the early twentieth century and achieved considerable internal success during her decade-long career.

She played an important role in popularizing Impressionism in Canada at a time when it was still relatively unknown.

McNicoll was born in Toronto to an affluent family. Her parents were David McNicoll and Emily Pashley.

McNicoll became deaf in early childhood due to scarlet fever, and as a result, focused her energies on playing the piano and developing a keenly observant eye.

As a young woman, she attended the Art Association of Montreal, beginning her studies under William Brymner in 1899.

In 1902, she moved to England to study in London at the Slade School under Philip Wilson Steer. At the Slade, students were encouraged to paint en plein air.

Later, McNicoll studied in St Ives, Cornwall with Algernon Talmage, where she met Dorothea Sharp, a fellow artist who became a lifelong friend.

McNicoll and Sharp traveled together to France and Italy sharing studio space, and posing for each other's paintings.

A member of the Royal Society of British Artists and an associate of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts, McNicoll died in Swanage, Dorset, at the early age of thirty six. An obituary described her as "one of the most profoundly original and technically accomplished of Canadian artists".

The Art Gallery of Ontario hosted an exhibition of McNicoll's work in 1999.

Although she had relocated to England, during her lifetime McNicoll kept close ties to Canada, and her work was exhibited at the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts from 1906-1914.

Her work was also exhibited at the Ontario Society of Artists from 1910-1915 and at the AAM in 1906; 1908-1912; 1914-1915; 1922 and 1925.

After her election as a member of the Royal Society of British Artists, her work was exhibited from 1913-1915.

The Art Association of Montreal held a memorial show featuring 141 of her paintings in 1925. | © Wikipedia

Robert Harris (Welsh-born Canadian painter, 1849-1919) | Helen McNicoll, 1910 | Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto

Helen Galloway McNicoll (14 dicembre 1879 - 27 giugno 1915) era un pittore impressionista Canadese🎨.

Fu una delle più importanti artiste femminili in Canada all'inizio del XX secolo ed ottenne un notevole successo durante la sua decennale carriera.

Ha svolto un ruolo importante nel diffondere l'impressionismo in Canada in un momento in cui era ancora relativamente sconosciuto.

McNicoll è nato a Toronto da una famiglia benestante. I suoi genitori erano David McNicoll ed Emily Pashley.

McNicoll è diventata sorda nella prima infanzia a causa della scarlattina e, di conseguenza, ha concentrato le sue energie nel suonare il piano e nello sviluppare un occhio acutamente attento.

Da giovane, frequentò l'Associazione artistica di Montreal, iniziando gli studi con William Brymner nel 1899.

Nel 1902, si trasferì in Inghilterra per studiare a Londra presso la Slade School sotto la direzione di Philip Wilson Steer.

Alla Slade, gli studenti sono stati incoraggiati a dipingere il plein air.

Più tardi, McNicoll ha studiato in St Ives, Cornovaglia con Algernon Talmage, dove ha incontrato Dorothea Sharp, un'artista che è diventata amica per tutta la vita.

McNicoll e Sharp hanno viaggiato insieme in Francia ed in Italia condividendo lo spazio dello studio e posando per i reciproci dipinti.

Membro della Royal Society of British Artists e socio della Royal Canadian Academy of Arts, McNicoll morì a Swanage, nel Dorset, all'età di trentasei anni.

Un necrologio la descrisse come "uno degli artisti canadesi profondamente originali e tecnicamente realizzati".